Reorganizations, Program
Changes and Reduced Funding
The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research laboratory, operated under DOE contract by Fermi
Johnson
- FNAL and the Universities Research Association (URA)
Research Alliance (LLC), a joint partnership of theDaniel
University
of Chicago
Reorganizations
• Goal
– Align and possibly reduce manpower by consolidating
functions of similar groups
• Beamline Experimental Areas
– 3 Operations groups (Meson, Neutrino, Proton)
– One group (Experiment Area Operations) run all beamlines
• Immediate Issues
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We do more than they do
Control Room location (which one do you use, or new)
Shift Schedule (12 hour shifts, time off, nightmare)
How do you pick Crew Chiefs?
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reorganizations
• Immediate Issues Cont.
– Whose procedures do you use?
– How do you cross train? (Sharing knowledge not
high on Operator agenda)
– How does seniority play into it?
– Morale changes daily
– Cliques form quickly
– Start off with many Operators
– You can expect to lose a number of Operators
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reorganizations
• Management Needs To Take Control
– Determine direction of Operations and get
everyone on board
– Set up training for new direction
– Set guidelines for shift schedule discussions
– Keep group members informed
– Rumors will be started daily, end them quickly
– Make sensible/logical decisions on Crew Chiefs
(Run in parallel)
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reorganizations
• Management Cont.
– You can scare operators and don’t even know you
are doing it
– Timely communication is important and critical!
– Treat everyone equally
– Be prepared to deal with new personalities and
problem people
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Program Changes
• Fixed Target reduced and Collider Started
– Beamline Operators didn’t have beamlines for long
periods of time
• Money to upgrade and repair started to dry up
• Operators helping various support group
• Run Beamlines when in Fixed Target operation
– Integrated Operators into Collider Experiments
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•
•
•
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Consistency problems at experiments
Cryogenics
Alarms
Run systems for consistency (High Voltage)
Reliability increased
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Program Changes
• Collider and Fixed Target Simultaneously
– Need for Accelerator and Beamline Operators at
the same time
– Reorganized to form one Operations group
– Whole new ball game for Operators
– Back to the problems with reorganization
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Program Changes
• Collider gone on to the Intensity Frontier
– No more Tevatron stores spinning for hours
– Management thinks crews should be reduced
– Reduction through attrition
– Training changes dramatically (Lost several
machines)
– Operators spend more time actively tuning
machines
– Upgrades, new beamlines and experiments
provide a promising future
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reduced Funding
• Turning off a machine due to funding
• Furlough
• Self-Select Voluntary Separation Program
(SSVSP)
• Involuntary Separation Process
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reduced Funding
• Turning off machine due to funding
– Tevatron wasn’t funded anymore
– New problem for us, previously had something in
the works
– Still had a neutrino program to run
– Fewer machines = Fewer operators
– Shutdown for upgrades for future operation
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reduced Funding
• Furlough
– Take some number of weeks off without pay
– Seems to be the most preferred
– Has a duration (1 week spread out)
– Everyone takes a hit, fewer bad feelings and
worries
– Can calculate impact on individual basis
– Able to schedule crews around people being away
and still operate
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reduced Funding
• Self-Select Voluntary Separation Program
– Only have to take it if you want
– Good for people thinking of retiring
– Good if you have another job
– Several iterations of this coupled with involuntary
separation
– People get worried when coupled with involuntary
separation
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Reduced Funding
• Involuntary Separation
– Impacts entire laboratory
– Typically can’t replace people
– People actively promote themselves
– Worries operators and rumors start (Owl shifts)
– Good people look for other jobs
– No real positive outcome for operations
Daniel Johnson - FNAL
Summary
• Strong lab management will plan and help get
you through these times
• Tough to keep morale up during these times
• Will probably lose some good people
• Continue to do what we are good at doing
• Operators are pretty resilient and know they
are needed to run the program
Daniel Johnson - FNAL